Insulated containers for perishable goods

ABSTRACT

An insulated container for perishable goods comprises a pair of convergent passages defined by the upper wall of the container, a pair of convergent passages defined by the lower wall of the container and sets of channels open to the interior of the container formed in the respective sidewalls of the container, the channels extending between the convergent passages. When the container is filled with a load impervious to air, air is circulated through the passages and channels around the load. When the container is filled with a previous load, air is circulated through the channels and passages and passes through the load directly from one set of passages to the other.

United States Patent 1 1 3,604,218

[72] Inventor Piero Cresti [56] Referen es Cited g f UNYIED STATESPATENTS P 1,913,357 6/1933 Scherer 62/408 [22] Flled Apr. 15, I9702,586,893 2/1952 Westlmg... 62/408 Paemed 2 696 086 12 1954 J 62/408[73] Assignee Societe Ferroviaire Internationale de ones TransportsFrigorifiques lnterfrigo, Societe Primary Examiner-William .l. Wye

Cooperative Attorney-Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen Bruxeltes,Belgium 32 Priority Apr. 21, 1969 W Belgium ABSTRACT: An insulatedcontainer for perishable goods 73018 comprises a pair of convergentpassages defined by the upper wall of the container, a pair ofconvergent passages defined by the lower wall of the container and setsof channels open to [54] INSULATED CONTAINERS FOR PERISHABLE theinterior of the container formed in the respective sidewalls GOOQS ofthe container, the channels extending between the conver- Chums 15Drawmg gent passages. When the container is filled with a load imper-[52] U.S. Cl 62/408, vious to air, air is circulated through thepassages and chan- 62/407, 62/419 nels around the load. When thecontainer is filled with a previ- [51] Int. Cl Fd 17/04 ous load, air iscirculated through the channels and passages Field of Search 62/407, andpasses through the load directly from one set of passages 408, 419 tothe other.

' PATENTEDSEPI 41971 -3 .604.218 sum 3 m4 Fig.9

INSULATED CONTAINERS FOR PERISI-IABLE GOODS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a container for perishable goods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, there is provided acontainer comprising an upper wall, a lower wall, opposed side wallsextending between said upper and lower walls, opposed end wallsextending between said sidewalls, inner upper wall ,means spaced fromsaid upper wall, inner lower wall means spaced from said lower wall, afirst partition extending between said inner upper wall means and saidupper wall to divide the gap defined therebetween into first and secondinversely convergent passages, a second partition extending between saidinner lower wall means and said lower wall to divide the gap definedtherebetween into first and second inversely convergent passages, saidsecond partition extending in a direction generally transversely to saidfirst partition, and airconditioning means having an inlet incommunication with one of said first passages and an outlet incommunication with the other of said first passages, one of said sidewalls having first ducting extending between said first passage definedby said first partition and said second passage defined by said secondpartition, and the other of said sidewalls having second ductingextending between said second passage defined by said first partitionand said first passage defined by said second partition, said secondpassage defined by said first partition being in communication with saidsecond passage defined by said second partition.

Further according to the invention, there is provided a container for aload of perishable goods comprising an upper wall, a lower wall, a pairof opposed sidewalls extending between said upper and lower walls, apair of opposed end walls extending between said upper and lower walls,inner upper wall means spaced from said upper wall to define therewith afirst gap, inner lower wall means spaced from said lower wall to definetherewith a second gap, a first partition dividing said first gap intofirst and second inversely convergent passages, a second partitiondividing said second gap into first and second inversely convergentpassages, the said second partition extending generally transverselyto-said first partition, air-conditioning and circulating means adjacentone end wall of said container, and having an inlet in communicationwith one of said passages and an outlet in communication with'another ofsaid passages, third and fourth gaps respectively defined by said loadand each of said sidewalls, a fifthgap defined by the other said endwall of said container, the arrangement being such whereby when the loadis impervious to air, air is fed from said air air-conditioning andcirculating means through a first passage in one of said first andsecondgaps, then through the adjacent one of said third and fourth gaps,then through a first passage having an increasing section in the otherof said first and second gaps, then vertically through the said fifthgap then through the second passage in the said one of said first andsecond gaps, then through the other one of said third and fourth gaps,and finally through the second passage in the said other of said firstand second gaps, and thence back into said air-conditioning andcirculating means, the flow paths in the different zones of the circuitbeing equal in length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the invention will nowbe described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanyingdiagrammatic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows schematically and in sectional side elevation a containerin accordance with the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sections taken on lines IIII and IIIIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view to an enlarged scale taken on line IV-IV inFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line V-V always in FIG. 1, the containerhousing a load impervious to air;

FIG. 6 is a section to an enlarged scale taken on line VI-VI in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 7 and 8 show schematically the air circuits around a loadimpervious to air and a load pervious to air respectively;

FIG. 9 is a section to an enlarged scale taken on line IX-IX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a section to an enlarged scale taken on line X-X in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a section similar to FIG. I showing a modified embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 12 is a section taken on line XIIXII in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary section to an enlarged scale on line XIII-XIIIon FIG. 11; and

FIGS. 14 and 15 are fragmentary sections, similar to FIG. 13 showingvariations of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 of thedrawings, there is provided an insulated rectangular containercomprising opposed upper and lower walls, opposed sidewalls and opposedend wallsl The container has an inner upper wall 3 which defines, withthe outer wall, a gap which is divided into two passages 5A, 53 by asubstantially diagonal partition 7. The passage SA has a cross sectiondecreasing from an inlet 11 for conditioned air, and in particular,cooled air. The inlet 11 is formed in wall 13 separating a chamber 15for the load C'from a chamber'l7 for a conditioning unit 19. The chamber15 comprises a lower wall 21 which is spaced from the'lower wall of thecontainer 1 to define therewith a horizontal gap which is divided intotwo passages 25A, 258 by a diagonal partition 23, extending generallytransversely to the partition 7. The walls 3 and 21 abut against opposedsidewalls IA and 1B of the container 1, the inner surface of the sidewalls 1A, 1B having a plurality of vertically extending ribs definingsets of channels 27 and '29 respectively. The longitudinal edges of thewalls 3 and 21 lie adjacent to the tips of the ribs 26 to providecommunication between the passage 5A and the channels 27, between thechannels 27 and the passage 25A, between the passage 25B and thechannels 29, and between the channels 29 and the passage 58. The passage25B communicates with the chamber 17 through a port 31, which isequivalent to the inlet 11 between the passages 5A and the chamber 17.At the end of the container opposite from the wall 13, a verticallyextending gap 33 is defined between the load C within the container andthe adjacent end 1E. The gap 33 communicates with the passage 25Athrough a port 35. and with the passage 58 through an inlet 37. It is tobe noted that the ports or inlets ll, 31, 35, 37 extend acrosssubstantially the entire width of the container and thus correspond tothe maximum cross'section of the passages 5A, 253, 25A, and 53respectively. Also, the passages 5A, 25A, communicate with the channels27 along one longitudinal edge of the walls 3 and 21 respectively, whilethe passages 53 and 25B communicate with the channels 29 along the otherlongitudinal edges of the walls 3 and 21 respectively.

In the case of a load C, that is impervious to air, the channels 27define, with one side of the load, vertically extending ducting in theform of passages and the channels 29define with the other side of theload further vertically extending ducting in the form of passages.

An intermediate longitudinal partition 41 is preferably provided on theunderside of the wall 3, to extend between the wall 3 andthe top surfaceC1 of the load C (see FIG. 5). The partition 41 is flexible to accountfor loads of different heights, and prevent direct communication betweenthe channels 27 and 29.

Air cooled by the conditioner 19 traverses the following circuit aroundload C (for example a load formed by packed blocks of goods to betransported as frozen or deep-frozen goods). From the conditioner 19 theair is passed in the direction of arrow fl through the inlet 11 into theconvergent passage A, through which it flows in the direction of arrowf2. The air stream is distributed along the longitudinal edge of thewall 3 to be directed, as indicated by arrow f3, into the channels 27 toflow therealong in the direction of arrows f4. The air stream isdistributed along the entire inner surface of the sidewall 1B due to theprogressive reduction of the cross section of the passage 5A. From thelongitudinal edge of the wall 21, the stream passes from the channels 27as indicated by arrows f5 into the passage 25A, which progressivelyincreases in cross section, to flow therealong in the direction ofarrows f6. The air stream then reaches the gap 33 and is directedupwardly therethrough according to arrows 17. The air stream passes fromthe gap 33 through the port 37 in the direction of the arrows f8, intothe passage 58, through which it flows in the direction of arrows 19.The air stream is distributed along the other longitudinal edge of thewall 3 and flows into the vertical channels 29 according to arrows fl0.The stream then flows downwardly through the channels 29 according toarrows fl] and then as shown by arrows fl2 passes into the passage 258,to flow therealong in the direction of arrows f13. The airstream thenreaches the chamber 17 through the port 31 in the direction of arrowsfl4 to be fed again through the conditioner unit 19 and be recycled. itis to be noted that the stream is evenly distributed along the channels27, 29 owing to the convergence of the passages 5A, 25A, 5B and 25B.Longitudinally extending partitions to deflect the airstream as requiredcan be provided in the passages 5A, 25A, 5B and 25B. It is to beadditionally noted that all of the elemental parts of the airstream flowalong paths which are substantially equal in length. Thus asubstantially uniform thermal insulation is provided around the load,thereby maintaining a substantially uniform temperature of the load.

The air flows through the gap 33 with a relatively high velocity, andhas sufficient momentum to open a flap valve 43 (see FIG. which iscounter balanced by a weight and which controls the flow between the gap33 and the passage 53. Other valve means, for example a manuallyadjustable throttle valve 45 can be used instead of the flap valve 43.

When the load C (comprising for example parallepipedic superfrozenpackages) is replaced by a load through which air can be passed, forexample a group of stacked trays V (see FIG. 9), communication isprovided between the channels 27 and the channels 29, whereby at least aportion of the airstream descending along the channels 27, is withdrawnfrom the channels 27 to flow as indicated by arrows fl5, fl6 (see FIGS.8 and 9), directly into the channels 29; in this case the stream flowsalong the path indicated the arrows fl, f2, f3, fl5, f16,fl2,fl3,fl4. Asmall portion of the stream may flow along the path indicated by thearrows f5, f6, f7, f8, f9, fl0 as previously described. The flow alongthis latter path is either automatically controlled by the valve 43(which owing to the reduced momentum of the stream tends to close) or bythe throttle 45. The stream flowing through the gaps between the trays Vis distributed over the entire horizontal surface of each layer of traysV to ensure the release of heat by the effect of metabolic action. Thisstream can also serve to reduce the temperature of the load from theambient temperature to the regimen temperature slightly above 0 C. Theflexible partition 41 effectively prevents a short circuit of theairstream above the load.

As described hereinbefore the type of load determines the circuit alongwhich the air will flow. The airstream can additionally be controlledeither by a manually adjustable valve for example the valve 45, or by anautomatic valve, for example the valve 43. Also controls for modifyingthe output of the conditioning unit 19, according to the temperaturedesired are provided.

As an alternative to the flap valve 43, there can be provided a flexiblelamina or reed valve which is opened according to the momentum of theairstream.

The direction of circulation can be reversed whereby the air is passeddownwardly through the chamber 13 and along the reverse path to thatdescribed.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, there isprovided an insulated rectangular container 51. Extending across theinterior surface of the upper wall of the container parallel to adiagonal of the upper wall are two groups of conduits 53A, 53B, definedby flexible walls 53. The conduits 53A of the first group have an inlet55 for the conditioned air, in particular cooled air. The inlet 55 isformed in the upper portion of a wall 57 separating a chamber 59 for.the load from a chamber 61 containing a conditioner unit 63. The chamber59 comprises a lower wall 65, spaced from the lower wall of thecontainer 51 to define therewith a horizontally extending gap which isdivided into passages 69A, 69B by a diagonal partition 67 extending in adirection generally transverse to that of the conduits 53A, 53B. Theconduits 53A and adjacent one side wall 51A of the container while theconduits 53B and adjacent the opposed sidewall 51B of the container. Theside edges of the wall 65 lie adjacent to the sidewalls 51A, 51B. Theinner surface of each sidewall 51A, 518 has vertically extending ribs51C which define channels 71, and channels 73 respectively.Communication is thereby provided between the conduits 53A and thechannels 71, between the channels 71 and the passage 69A, between thepassage 69B and the channels 73, and between the channels 73 and theconduits 533. The passage 69A extends into the lowest portion of thechamber 61 through a port 75. At the end of the container opposite tothe wall 57 a vertical gap 77 is defined by the adjacent end wall 51F,and by an additional wall or by the end of the load. The vertical gap 77communicates with the passage 69A by means of a port 79 and with theconduits 538 by means ofa port 81.

Extending from the upper wall of the container between adjacent conduitsare rows of hooks 83 (see FIG. 13). The hooks 83 can be suspendeddirectly from the upper wall of the container and are not illustrated inFIG. 1 l for the sake of clarity. In an alternative arrangement shown inP10. 14, hooks 85 are mounted for sliding movement along guides 87extending between adjacent conduits, the respective hooks being lockablein a selected position along the guides. in a further alternativearrangement shown in FIG. 15, supports 89 are suspended from the upperwall of the container and carry crossbars 91, to which hooks 92 areengaged in conventional manner. In each case, carcasses of meat can besuspended from the hooks.

In the case of a compact load, that is impervious to air, the channels71 define, with one side of the load, vertically extending passages andthe channels 73 define with the other side of the compact load, furthervertically extending passages. An intermediate longitudinal partitioncan be provided between the load and the conduits to close the spacebetween the conduits and the upper surface of the load. The partitioncan be flexible as described in connection with the first embodiment,and can be formed by blocks of frozen or superfrozen goods, in whichcase the conditioned air flows along the following path. From theconditioner 63 the air flows through the port 55 into the conduits 53A,to be distributed along the channels 71 and flow downwardlytherethrough. From the longitudinal edge of the wall 65, adjacent thesidewall 51A, the airstream passes from the channels 71 into the passage69A, which progressively increases in cross section in the direction offlow towards the port 79. The stream then reaches the gap 77 and flowsupwardly therethrough. The airstream is discharged from the gap 77through the port 81 into the conduits 53B. The airstream is dischargedfrom the conduits 538, into the channels 73 to flow downwardstherethrough and into the passage 69B, and then through the port 75 intothe chamber 61. The air is subsequently recycled by the conditioner unit63.

it is to be noted that the stream is distributed uniformly along all ofthe vertical channels 71 and 73 and that all the elemental parts of theair stream flow along paths which are substantially equal in length.Thus substantially uniform thermal insulation is provided around theload.

When the aforesaid load is replaced by a load through which air can bepassed, for example a load formed by groups of stacked trays or bycarcasses of meat hung from the hooks 83 or 85 or 93, directcommunication is provided between the channels 71 and 73, whereby atleast a portion of the airstream flowing along the channels 71 isremoved from the channels 71 and flows transversely at different levelsthrough the load directly into the channels 73. A minor portion of thestream may follow the previously described path which is automaticallycontrolled by a valve as described in connection with the firstembodiment of the invention.

The container described is particularly suited for the transport ofperishable goods of three different types, i.e. fresh foods, for examplevegetables, or fruit, which must be kept at a temperature above 0 C., orsometimes slightly below 0 C.; frozen foods or deep-frozen foods at atemperature considerably less than 0 C.; and goods which are at a highertemperature than the ambient temperature, which may be below 0 C. Forfresh foods in addition to the amount of heat that must be extractedfrom the container to compensate for the heat which penetrates throughthe insulated walls, it is necessary to extract heat to compensate forthe heat generated by metabolic action of the food and also to lower thetemperature of the food.

Fruits and vegetables are usually loaded in stacks of aeriated trays, asmall airgap of the order of a few centimeters being left betweenadjacent layers of trays to allow for ventilation. Usually trays areprovided with upwardly extending projections, to facilitate theformation of the airgaps. In the case of frozen or deep-frozen goods,heat is extracted merely to compensate for the penetration of heatthrough the insulated walls of the container and for leakage of air. Thegoods are stacked in a compact mass without any gaps or voids, toprevent penetration of air. The load in this case is thereforesubstantially impervious to the air, and the cooling air merelycirculates around the load. For the transport of heated goods, i.e.goods at a temperature higher than 0 C., it is necessary to maintain thetemperature, irrespective of the outside temperature which may be lessthan that of the ideal temperature for the goods. In this case, themetabolism of the goodswhich produces heat then acts to maintain thetemperature within the container, and there is no need to circulate alarge amount of air within the goods.

The container described can be mounted on a railway vehicle, on a roadvehicle or on a so-called container transporter. In the containerdescribed the temperature of the circulated air is maintainedsubstantially constant all around the goods.

What is claimed is:

1. A container comprising an upper wall,

a lower wall,

opposed sidewalls extending between said upper and lower walls,

opposed end walls extending between said sidewalls,

inner upper wall means spaced from said upper wall,

inner lower wall means spaced from said lower wall,

a first partition extending between said inner upper wall means and saidupper wall to divide the gap defined therebetween into first and secondinversely convergent passages,

a second partition extending between said inner lower wall means andsaid lower wall to divide the gap defined therebetween into first andsecond inversely convergent passages, said second partition extending ina direction generally transversely to said first partition, and

air-conditioning means having an inlet in communication with one of saidfirst passages and an outlet in communication with the other of saidfirst passages, one of said sidewalls having first ducting extendingbetween said first passage defined by said first partition and saidsecond passage defined by said second partition, and the other of saidsidewalls having second ducting extending between said second passagedefined by said first partition and said first passage defined by saidsecond partition, said second passage defined by said first partltlonbeing In communication with said second passage defined by said secondpartition.

2. A container according to claim 1 further comprising passage meansextending between said second passage defined by said first partitionand said second passage defined by said second partition, and

valve means for controlling flow through said passage means.

3. A container according to claim 2 wherein said valve means is manuallyoperable.

4. A container according to claim 2 wherein said valve means isautomatically controlled in dependence upon the momentum of the flowthrough said passage means.

5. A container according to claim 1 further comprising longitudinallyextending partition means dividing each said passage.

6. A container according to claim 1 wherein each said first and secondpassages defined by said inner upper wall means and said upper wall,comprises a plurality of conduits, said container further comprisinghooked support means supported between adjacent said conduits.

7. A container according to claim 6 further comprising guide members,said hooked support means being slidably mounted on said guide members.

8. A container according to claim 6 wherein said conduits comprise aflexible material.

9. A container according to claim 1 wherein said first and secondductings are open to the interior of said container.

10. A container for a load of perishable goods comprising an upper wall,

a lower wall,

a pair of opposed sidewalls extending between said upper and lowerwalls,

a pair of opposed end walls extending between said upper and lower wallsinner upper wall means spaced from said upper wall to define therewith afirst gap,

inner lower wall means spaced from said define therewith a second gap,

a first partition dividing said first gap into first and secondinversely convergent passages,

a second partition dividing said second gap into first and secondinversely convergent passages, the said second partition extendinggenerally transversely to said first partition,

air-conditioning and circulating means adjacent one end wall of saidcontainer, and having an inlet in communication with one of saidpassages and an outlet in communication with another of said passages,

third and fourth gaps respectively defined by said load and each of saidsidewalls,

a fifth gap defined by the other said end wall of said container, thearrangement being such whereby when the load is impervious to air, airis fed from said air-conditioning and circulating means through a firstpassage in one of said first and second gaps, then through the adjacentone of said third and fourth gaps, then through a first passage havingan increasing section in the other of said first and second gaps, thenvertically through the said fifth gap then throughthe second passage inthe said one of said first and second gaps, then through the other oneof said third and fourth gaps, and finally through the second passage inthe said other of said first and second gaps, and thence back into saidair-conditioning and circulating means, the flow paths in the differentzones of the circuit being equal in length.

lower wall to

1. A container comprising an upper wall, a lower wall, opposed sidewallsextending between said upper and lower walls, opposed end wallsextending between said sidewalls, inner upper wall means spaced fromsaid upper wall, inner lower wall means spaced from said lower wall, afirst partition extending between said inner upper wall means and saidupper wall to divide the gap defined therebetween into first and secondinversely convergent passages, a second partition extending between saidinner lower wall means and said lower wall to divide the gap definedtherebetween into first and second inversely convergent passages, saidsecond partition extending in a direction generally transversely to saidfirst partition, and air-conditioning means having an inlet incommunication with one of said first passages and an outlet incommunication with the other of said first passages, one of saidsidewalls having first ducting extending between said first passagedefined by said first partition and said second passage defined by saidsecond partition, and the other of said sidewalls having second ductingextending between said second passage defined by said first partitionand said first passage defined by said second partition, said secondpassage defined by said first partition being in communication with saidsecond passage defined by said second partition.
 2. A containeraccording to claim 1 further comprising passage means extending betweensaid second passage defined by said first partition and said secondpassage defined by said second partition, and valve means forcontrolling flow through said passage means.
 3. A container according toclaim 2 wherein said valve means is manually operable.
 4. A containeraccording to claim 2 wherein said valve means is automaticallycontrolled in dependence upon the momentum of the flow through saidpassage means.
 5. A container according to claim 1 further comprisinglongitudinally extending partition means dividing each said passage. 6.A container according to claim 1 wherein each said first and secondpassages defined by said inner upper wall means and said upper wall,comprises a plurality of conduits, said container further comprisinghooked support means supported between adjacent said conduits.
 7. Acontainer according to claim 6 further comprising guide members, saidhooked support means being slidably mounted on said guide members.
 8. Acontainer according to claim 6 wherein said conduits comprise a flexiblematerial.
 9. A container according to claim 1 wherein said first andsecond ductings are open to the interior of said container.
 10. Acontainer for a load of perishable goods comprising an upper wall, alower wall, a pair of opposed sidewalls extending between said upper andlower walls, a pair of opposed end walls extending between said upperand lower walls inner upper wall means spaced from said upper wall todefine therewith a first gap, inner lower wall means spaced from saidlower wall to define therewith a second gap, a first partition dividingsaid First gap into first and second inversely convergent passages, asecond partition dividing said second gap into first and secondinversely convergent passages, the said second partition extendinggenerally transversely to said first partition, air-conditioning andcirculating means adjacent one end wall of said container, and having aninlet in communication with one of said passages and an outlet incommunication with another of said passages, third and fourth gapsrespectively defined by said load and each of said sidewalls, a fifthgap defined by the other said end wall of said container, thearrangement being such whereby when the load is impervious to air, airis fed from said air-conditioning and circulating means through a firstpassage in one of said first and second gaps, then through the adjacentone of said third and fourth gaps, then through a first passage havingan increasing section in the other of said first and second gaps, thenvertically through the said fifth gap then through the second passage inthe said one of said first and second gaps, then through the other oneof said third and fourth gaps, and finally through the second passage inthe said other of said first and second gaps, and thence back into saidair-conditioning and circulating means, the flow paths in the differentzones of the circuit being equal in length.